serves as our internal GPS. Let me explain to you what I think of when I think of a GPS, based on what we know and understand about technology in the natural.
Our physical GPS has to be synced up with the satellite which provides an aerial view, many miles away, of what is “reality” on earth. The signal bounces off of a number of satellites, depending on where we may be positioned at that time. As we move (travel), grow, and develop, we get plugged into different satellites. The data provided is only as good as the quality of the satellite, the lack of turbulence in the atmosphere, and the angle at which it is placed on the atmosphere. These satellites can provide intelligence for the military and may sometimes be “blocked” on purpose, through weather, through military and other types of aircraft. Sometimes our GPS equipment will tell us that we have a weak connection; perhaps the GPS cannot find the correct satellite; sometimes it cannot find the location to which we want to travel. Sometimes the location is too new to have been captured on any type of map, and the system does not have the sophistication or sensitivity to get us to that destination. We know that it is a real place and that we have important work to complete there. Unfortunately, our manmade GPS is not omnipotent, omniscient or omnipresent. But our God is all of those and more! He is the satellite that our inner GPS is searching for – He provides us with direction, guidance, instruction, grace, love, joy, peace, mercy, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and so much more. It doesn’t matter how advanced the GPS on the ground is – if you’re plugged into the wrong source – the wrong “satellite”, you will have directions to nowhere special, nothing significant; nothing lasting. We must always calibrate our natural GPS (what is innate, part of human nature) to the spiritual GPS, God’s Word.
We will use the GPS as a way of looking at our journey, both from spiritual and practical aspects. Let us begin our conversation about my perspective on how we can use our physical, electronic GPS. We’ll take a road trip later and talk about my spiritual GPS as well.
This physical GPS has the current time and driving time to whatever destination I inputted on it, along with a picture of a roadway and a road sign. Can you see that? Now look lower on the screen, there is an icon that says, “drive to. . .” If you click this icon, you will get another screen that identifies possibilities – places to which you could drive. For example, I have input where “home” is into my GPS; if you click this button, it will provide you with directions to get to my house, without having to identify the location further. If you have the specific street address, you have the option of entering the specific information – street number and name, city, state or zip code. You may even say it into the GPS microphone – you don’t have to take the time to type it. Then you would submit that information, and the GPS would process it. Perhaps you do not have the actual street address, but you do know the city and state to which you wish to go. You may either enter it and submit or say it. In either case, the GPS determines the best route to get there.
If you are not sure where you want to go, you also have the option of entering into the GPS the name of a business or type of business and clarify it with responses to some other questions. For example, perhaps you want to go to a favorite restaurant in another town and you don’t have the address. What are your options? You can enter the restaurant’s name and location, and it will find it for you. Or, you could enter the type of restaurant and have it find that restaurant in a number of different locations. In this way, you don’t have to know what city or state is your destination, only the name or type of business that you want to visit. You also have your choice of airports or can even choose the intersection of two streets.
There is an option which allows you to identify things by category – you may not know the name of the business, but you might input “restaurants,” and it will give you a list of restaurants by distance away from you, and you could choose your restaurant based on this computer-generated list. Are you getting the picture – there are a lot of options available to you – you have to choose the option that works best for you. Perhaps you have already travelled on this journey and know about particular places that you want to re-visit. There is an option on my GPS is labeled “my favorites.” This would identify places that you have identified as places you would like to visit again, places that are important or meaningful to you, or just places that you like. There is the opportunity for you to place a filter on your favorites to further categorize where you want to go. Another selection category is “recent places.” This particular option identifies for you where you have been before. It does not identify whether or not these were fun, meaningful or important places. Rather, you know where you have been or intended to go. You may select from these items where you would like to go again. My GPS has an additional option which allows you to select from your contact list. You can go to that option and select one of the people you have input and get directions to their location. However, if you don’t have an address entered, you get a prompt that states, “no address listed.”
Wow, I feel like we just went through the GPS technology maze! It’s good to get out of that loop. Let’s apply the natural aspects of the GPS described above and apply it spiritually. Our true GPS (the Holy Spirit) provides you with the route, but He does not start your vehicle, accelerate for you, depress the brakes, or turn the steering wheel. You have to be sufficiently connected to the Holy Spirit that when He says move, you move. When He says accelerate, you move faster. When He says, “Slow down,” you do so immediately. We are to allow the Holy Spirit to carve out the path for us – we move when He says move, and we stop moving when He says to stop. When there is the need for a lane change, He tells us that as well, when we are spiritually attuned to His leading.
My physical GPS also beeps when there is a camera at an intersection to warn me not to try to run through the light. Sometimes it beeps too late, and I am caught on camera or I do not understand what the beep means.
That is not true with my spiritual GPS. The warning is never too late – my ears may not be attuned to Him, but the warning is always timely. My spiritual GPS, the Holy Spirit, warns me of both seen and unseen dangers as well. Our spiritual eyes and ears have to be attuned to what the Holy Spirit is telling us. We need to know how to manage our direct reports; how to organize and direct our work; in what ways to respond to our bosses; nuances in meeting the needs of internal and external customers and the like.
Summary of the GPS available to us:
| Characteristics of Physical GPS | Characteristics of Spiritual GPS |
| Satellite Dependent | Holy Spirit Dependent |
| Out of Range | Never beyond reach of Holy Spirit |
| Generic | Calibrated for individual |
| Final Destination Unknown | Final Destination Predetermined |
| Can mute voice instructions as desire | Voice speaks even when you don’t want to listen |
| Can turn off and reach destination | Cannot successfully reach destination without |
| Unexpected Detours May Occur which takes GPS time to redirect | All things work together for good – God knows our end from the beginning |
| Planning with incomplete information | Purpose and obedience are keys |
| Batteries can wear down or you can get out of range | Continuous signaling and no geographical limitations on range |
| Weather affects quality of output | Sovereign, Omnipotent God in charge |
